Advice on buying wood down south

shazzafly

Hi all

Multi fuel stove been fitted on Tuesday, just in time for summer:j:j
But having read many posts on here I now want to find a decent wood supplier for the winter and get all stocked up.

I'm on the outskirts on London near Heathrow.

Also I see lots of people selling cheap wood on ebay but I have no idea how you would check its seasoned. I am complete novice on wood.

All tips gratefully received. I'm very excited !!!!!!!!

Thanks

Williwoodburner

Hi,

welcome to the world of woodburning.

Seasoned wood should be left outside in a woodstore which is open at the sides with a roof or some form of cover on top so it is exposed to the sun and wind for at least a year preferably two.

You can tell if it is seasoned as it has lost any green colouring and is a dark brown.
It is also much lighter than green (unseasoned) wood and usually has radial cracks in the ends.
It also has a hollow sound if banged together.
Also split logs season and in my opinion burn better than unsplit logs, so I split any logs greater than 4 inches in diameter.

It takes time to get the nack of woodburning and suggest you buy a moisture meter to test any wood you buy until you get used to the different feel of unseasoned/seasoned wood.

Hope this helps. :money:

Willlie.

A._Badger

Williewoodburner has it just about covered. All I'd add is be very cautious. Even though I live in an area with a lot of wood, woodburners and people selling the stuff, I find real difficulty getting properly seasoned wood and end-up having to store almost anything I buy for a year before use.

Just because a seller tells you it's seasoned (and they will) don't just assume they are telling the truth.

suki1964

You can always buy a moisture metre and go check out the content of the wood before buying so you can at least plan on what to do with it - burn that season or wait another

shazzafly

Thanks, great advice, next question where do I get a moisture meter ?

Williwoodburner

shazzafly wrote: »

Thanks, great advice, next question where do I get a moisture meter ?

You could try stovesonline -
http://www.stovesonline.co.uk/firewood-moisture-meter.html

or loads on ebay or even better a local stove shop. :money:

regards

Willie.

abwsco

I can recommend the semi seasoned wood from http://www.turfandstuff.com/section/9/1/firewood_logs

nande2000

abwsco wrote: »

I can recommend the semi seasoned wood from http://www.turfandstuff.com/section/9/1/firewood_logs

Larch makes awful firewood, spits like mad.

Stick to a supplier who sells Ash or an ash mix. Ash can be burned wet. If you get an Ash/Sycamore mix the Sycamore seasons very quickly (3 months).

abwsco

nande2000 wrote: »

Larch makes awful firewood, spits like mad.

Stick to a supplier who sells Ash or an ash mix. Ash can be burned wet. If you get an Ash/Sycamore mix the Sycamore seasons very quickly (3 months).

Not for us it hasn't!

alleycat`

abwsco wrote: »

Not for us it hasn't!

I've read mixed reports about Larch.
There are a lot of people or arbtalk that rave about it for stoves (not so much for open fires as it does spit).
I've also read it produces quite a lot of oily deposits in chimneys so isn't recommended as one of the better woods.

Personally i'd use it but i'd want to mix it with either Ash or Oak.

muckybutt

Find yourself a local shopfitter or furniture maker as well as a log supplier.

Ive just bought 4 dumpy bags of hard / soft wood logs some split some not / part seasoned for £150, that combined with the local furniture makers 25kg sacks of off cuts, mainly burr oak and ash for £2 a bag makes for a decent load of wood thats ready to go this next winter....or tomorrow if it snows !